In the ever-evolving world of technology, the ultimate goal should always be to make a positive impact on people's everyday lives. Whether it's the hardworking employees or the valued customers, tech should strive to bring about meaningful improvements. Enter Rocky McGuire, the visionary from Unisys, who shares enlightening viewpoints on what it takes to lead a world-class service desk team.
On the 48th Episode of Ticket Volume, our IT podcast, McGuire gave weight to the profound impact of investing in people, recognizing their potential, and nurturing their growth; especially by sharing some of the crucial parts of running a world-class service desk team. He understands that a strong sense of community is crucial, where serving others becomes a driving force behind every action.
As the Experience Manager at Unisys, McGuire brings a wealth of experience in the IT industry. His journey began as a humble service desk agent, where he honed his skills and quickly rose through the ranks. From there, he took on leadership roles as a Team Lead Training Coordinator, Operations Manager, and now, an Experience Manager. His passion for creating exceptional service and support experiences is evident in every aspect of his work.
Make sure to tune in to the entire episode featuring McGuire and let his wisdom guide us as we navigate building a successful service desk. Moreover, you can sign up for our monthly live recordings and directly ask any questions during the session.
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Putting people first to have a world-class service desk
Looking towards the future, McGuire envisions a world where proactive and predictive solutions take center stage. It's all about staying ahead of the game, anticipating the needs of customers, and delivering an experience that goes beyond expectations. Hence, a holistic customer experience becomes the top priority, ensuring that every interaction is seamless, personalized, and memorable.
For McGuire, putting people first is the cornerstone of building a world-class service desk, and said that Unisys understands this fundamental principle. In his company they know that by prioritizing their people, you create an environment where their service desk agents feel valued, supported, and empowered to deliver exceptional service.
Needless to say, investing in their people is a key aspect of Unisys' approach. Agents, more that the system itself, make all the difference.
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"Outside of predictive solutions like digital experience management tools, which will become the norm and not optional (...) All those things are going to be a reality. But for me, what I see is agents transforming from being interactive-focused to experience and knowledge-driven. The goal is to prevent an issue before it ever comes up, to have those self-help articles and resources available (...) But ultimately, it's going to be about creating a personalized and exceptional experience for the customers." Rocky McGuire |
McGuire explained he makes sure he provides comprehensive training and development opportunities, to ensure their service desk agents have the knowledge and skills needed to excel in their roles. Unisys also encourages a culture of continuous learning, allowing their agents to stay updated on the latest technologies and industry trends.
But it also means that by giving voice to their service desk agents, Unisys is fostering a sense of ownership and accountability. For instance, they actively seek feedback from their agents, encouraging them to share their insights and ideas for improvement. This collaborative approach not only enhances the overall performance of the service desk but also creates a sense of belonging and engagement among the team.
Additionally, McGuire brought to the forefront the power of proactive and predictive experiences in Incident Management. To illustrate it he explained they leverage automation and technologies like chat GPT to expedite resolutions and enhance customer experiences. However, Unisys goes beyond just focusing on quick resolution times. They understand that the overall experience is equally important. It means they consider symptoms and experiences beyond Service Level Agreements (SLAs), avoiding the "watermelon effect" where SLAs may appear green on the surface but hide underlying issues.
Shifting priorities in incident management should also be taken into account according to McGuire. That will allow companies to challenge traditional notions of resolution time and adapt to changing needs over time. On that note, he advised to give users the ability to change their experience in real-time, allowing them to customize their support journey and ultimately increase satisfaction.
The relevance of the servant leadership approach
Servant leaders like McGuire also prioritize collaboration and teamwork, promoting a culture where everyone's contributions are valued. This approach fosters a sense of unity and shared purpose, enabling the team to work cohesively and effectively towards common goals. It also encourages knowledge sharing and continuous learning, as team members feel comfortable seeking help and guidance from their peers.
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"The biggest thing I'll advocate for forever, until the day that I die, is that nobody knows your customer or your employees better than your service desk. (...) To help our agent population understand, hey, ‘when you're supporting this financial industry, you're actually helping a widow, a wife who just lost her husband, figure out how to refinance her mortgage, which she can't afford on Social Security. I get to help the agents process the difference they're making every day." Rocky McGuire |
In the service desk setting, adopting a servant leadership approach can have several positive impacts. Firstly, it creates a culture of trust and open communication, where team members feel valued and supported. This, in turn, leads to higher levels of engagement and job satisfaction, which ultimately translates into improved performance and customer service.
Furthermore, servant leadership encourages a focus on personal and professional growth. By investing in the development of team members, providing training opportunities, and empowering them to take ownership of their work, servant leaders foster a sense of ownership and accountability.
In summary, the relevance of this leadership approach lies in its ability to create a positive and empowering work environment, where team members feel valued, motivated, and engaged.
Bottom line
This is just a summary of Ticket Volume's episode featuring Rocky McGuire. There's a lot more to discover in their conversation on the value of investing in people, creating a positive employee experience, and the shift toward proactive and predictive solutions in the MSP industry. Be sure to listen to the full discussion with Matt Beran to learn more about how to run a world-class service desk.
You can find the full episode on popular platforms like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or any other podcast platform you prefer. Remember to subscribe if you're interested in joining the monthly live recordings!
